Vehicle



Dec. .8, 1925- 1,564,461

l. H. vATI-HEY ET Al.

VEHICLE ori'inal Filed Feb. 1, 1923 V Patented Dec. 8, l19.25.`

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.;

- ISAAC H. ATHEY AND ARTHUR n. SCHWANZKOPF, or' cIIIoAGo, ILLINOIS, .AssIofNoR-s 'ro THEY TRUss WHEEL, o0., or CHICAGO,- ILLINOIS, CORPORATION or ILLINOIS.

' VEHICLE.

` original application filed February 1, 1923, Serial- No. 616,395. Dvidedandithis application led January 2 4', 1925. vSerial No. 4,391. l

To all whom if may concern:

Be it known that we, ISAAC H. ATHEY and ARTHUR It. SoHwARzKoPF, citizens of thcU-nitedStates, and residents of Chicago, inv the county of Cook and State o'fIllinois,

have invented certain new and useful Im-I provements in Vehicles, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accom-` panying drawings, forming a part of this specliication.

A( )ur invention relates to, vehicles.

It relates particularly to that type of -ve-l section of 'track between wheels.

Another object is to provide an improved trussing structure whereinsome of the members are subjected only to compression and others are subjected only to tension. Another object is t0 provide a track or chain which is reliable, light, strong, and in` expensively manufactured.v

Other objects and advantages will herein after appear. r

This application is 'a division of our application Serial No. 616,394, iiled February 1 1923. 1

,An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which-.

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a vehicle equipped with the improved track; l

Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse Section through one of the track shoes;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2, and

Fig. ll' is a section on theline 4 4 of The vehicle chosen for illustration includes a load-supporting axle 1( )`upon each end of which is pivotally mounted a beam 1l. A shaft 12- is journalled in and projects" beyond the opposite sides of each beam 11 near its ends. The projecting ends of each shaft 12 carry a pair oload-supporting supporting. wheels as clearly shownl inA Fig. 1.

1The track or chain is'composed of aV series of shoes .14. Each' shoe has apair of three hinge lugs 16 projecting from its oprhinge lugs 15 projecting from one Side and p ositc side. The spaces between the two out-l er and inner hinge lugs 16' are suftic'ientv to receive the hinge lugs 15 o'f an adjacent shoe.

Hinge pins 417 serve to pivotally interconnect the overlapping hinge lugs 'of adjacent .shoes so that Vthe shoes form a flexible end-f less track for chain. In order to reduce the weight of the track, the tread portions of the shoes may be 'made hollow, as mostclearn ly shown in Figs. 2 and 4.

A pair of truss arms 18 are pivot-allycan fied by each. hinge pin 17. and extend inwardly therefrom. Extending transversely of the center, each shoe has a pair of clongated aligned bearing lugs 19 which carry a pivot pin 20. A pairof truss 1i`nks 21 extend from each pivot pin -20 toward both of the adjacent truss arms 18 and are'pivotally connected thereto by 'pivot pins22. In order that the truss links 21 may be sub jected to tension forces only, they are provided with slots 23 which fit over the vpins 22. Thus, when the track collapses or folds as it passes. around the load-supporting wheels, the pins 22 may move relativelyl longitudinally of the links 21 and -the links are relieved of compression forces. When, however,'the track is' straightened. out into the load-supportingA position between', the

wheels, the pivot pins 22 lie against the inner closed ends of link'slots 23 and the shoes are prevented from pivoting about their interconnecting hinges` 'sufficiently to permit the track to deflect inwardly.

The 'sides of eachl shoe are extended so that the top surfaces thereof form treads for V the load-supporting wheels, as mostclearly shown in Fig. 2. The' outer ends vof the truss link bearing lugs 19\ may serve as aligners to insure proper positioning of the load-supporting wheels.

In operation the track may! easily Aand compactly fold or collapse` as it passes around -the load-supporting wheels. The lower section of'track which is between the wheels is trussed or stitfenedagainst excessive inward deflection by the cooperative action of the 'compression truss arms 18 and s the tension truss links 21 and is thus enabled to more eiiciently support the load and travel over obstructions or uneven ground.

We claim: l. A vehicle track chain formed of a plurality of shoes, each comprising a tread member having hinge lugs projecting from the opposite sides thereof, pintles for pivotally connecting the hinge lugs of adjacent A shoes, a lug extending inwardly from each the opposite sides thereof, intles for pivotally connecting the hinge ugs of adjacent shoes, a 'lug extending inwardly from each tread member, a pivot pin carried by eachv of said lugs, inwardly extending compression links mounted at the sides of said tread members, pivot pins carried by the inner i ends of said compression links, and truss links pivotally mounted on each of said first,-

named pivot pins and having slotted connections with thel lastmentioned pivot'pins ot' adjacent tread members.

3. A vehicle track chain formed of a plurality of shoes, each comprising a tread member, the said shoes being positioned side by side and pivotally connected to form a flexible track, a lug extending inwardly from each tread member, a pivot pin carried by each of said lugs, compression links extendi' ing inwardly from said tread members, pivot pins carried by the inner ends of said compression links, and truss links mounted on each of said first-named pivot pins-and having slotted connections with said last mentioned pivot pins.

' 4. A vehicle track comprising a series of shoes hinged together to form an endless chain, a compression member extending inwardly from each hinge between the shoes, and a pair Vof tension members pivoted to each shoe and having slotted connections with thc adjacentcompression members.

' 5. A vehicle track comprising a series of chain, a compression member extending inwardly from each hinge between -the shoes, and a pair of vtension members having slotted connection with each compression member and pivotal connection with adjacent shoes.

ISAAC H. ATHEY.' l ARTHUR R. SCHWARZKOPF shoes hinged together to form an endless 

